My Story of Getting into Tech By Gertrude Chilufya Westrin

My Story of Getting into Tech By Gertrude Chilufya Westrin

1. Women in Tech:
My Story of Getting into Tech
By Gertrude Chilufya Westrin.

2. Gertrude Chilufya Westrin
DEVELOPER ADVOCATE @ QLIK | PODCAST HOST
Mother to a 4-year-old son
DEIB Advocate | ERG Co-Lead
From Lusaka, residing in Lund, Sweden ????????????

3. Agenda
KEY SECTIONS IN THIS TALK
About Me
Getting into Tech
Where I am today
Challenges
Successes
Wrap up

4. Where are
you?
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?

5. 2013
2O14
Becoming a Pathfinder
Msc. Media &
Communication
Studies
Moved to Sweden
Bachelors in Mass
Communication
UNZA
Waitressing
Job Hunting
Marketing and
Communications
roles
Startups
Learning to Code
BIT
2016
2017
2020

6. “I cannot afford the
luxury of waiting for
things to happen to me,
so I make them happen
for me”

7. Getting into Tech
Why Tech?
Curiosity
Perceived value
Need for stability & “safety”
How did I do it?
12 Week Bootcamp
HTML, CSS, Javascript
Quest for role models and endless learning
Where am I today? Developer Advocate???
Technical communicator
Learn to teach
APIs & broader tech stack

8. Challenges
Diversity gap
Monsters in my head
Balance

9. Successes
Being published in a book
Nordic Women in Tech awards
Changing role- API governance
Getting recognition within the community

10. “Feel the fear and do it
anyway”
Susan Jeffers.

11. How to Get Started & Get Ahead
Evaluate your strengths, interests, and experience
and align that with applicable roles in tech
Triple threat skillset mentality
Find mentors and sponsors
Identify role models that can provide the basis for
how you envision your future

12. The Future of Working in Tech?
Tech
Data
AI

13. Resources
Available upon request.
Tack!
//What is tack?
const goodToKnow = {
English: "Thank you",
Swedish: "Tack",
Bemba: “Natotela”,
Nyanja: “Zikomo”
};

14. Questions?
LET’S CONNECT